I’m Done
by MockTheBird
Summary: Ladybug loses her cool after Chat Noir brings up revealing their identities one too many times and demands he keeps things professional between them. But when Chat takes the request completely to heart, will her’s be the next to break? (Inspired by that one episode of Drake and Josh where Josh decides he isn’t Drake’s brother anymore.)
1. TheFight

It was a cold autumn night when the near silence of their weekly patrol was interrupted, the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous clearing his throat.

"My Lady... Could we talk for a moment?" Chat Noir began, the nervous entangling of his fingers giving him away before he even had the chance to ask.

His ladybug themed partner knew exactly what he was going to say before he could even speak it. It always came back to this.

Just as the spotted heroine maintained a list of perfectly good reasons NOT to reveal their identities (safety of everyone they love be the foremost, and crazy alternate timelines she'd witnessed a close second), her feline themed companion had slowly but surely been collecting more and more reasons to do just that. Whether it be a list of all the times one of them missed an akuma attack due to circumstances they couldn't escape, with no way to warn the other, or just simply wanting them to grow closer. Chat's argument was improving. In a lot of ways, this wasn't any safer.

But deep down, Ladybug knew she wasn't ready to open up that part of her life to her partner, and the excuses she used were growing flimsier and Chat could tell too. It frustrated her to no end.

She had almost grown comfortable separating the two halves of herself completely. Ladybug, the string stoic heroine of Paris. Calm, cool, and confident. And Marinette, her sensitive, creative, personal side that didn't have to worry nearly as much about the fate of the world. Sure, she knew she was Ladybug and Marinette, but the two identities felt so different at this point that she wasn't even sure she ever wanted anyone to know they were one in the same.

Her latest responses to the 'reveal question' had come out far more dismissive and harsh then ever intended, but he just wouldn't drop it. So as Ladybug picked up on his nervous tone, clearly trying broach the topic cautiously, her patients finally wore out.

"Chat." The heroine responded coldly, placing her hands on her hips as she turned around. "I know what your going to ask, so save it. I've told you a million times why we can't, and I need you to just drop it, okay?" Crossing her arms, Ladybug stared her partner down.

Chat Noir's next words seemed to die on his lips, casting a hurt glance down at the floor, his tail and cat ears dropping slightly more. The hero looked like a kicked kitten, but it wasn't too a long pause before he dared to try again. "My Lady, please hear me out here. This isn't even about, you know... '**_US_**' ." He motioned his claws in two sets of exaggerated air quotes and added a long eyeroll for effect. "Or the lack there of. Hehe... Heh..."

When the joke was met only by silence and an angry glare he scrambled to continue. "Things outside the mask have been getting a little intense lately on my end. I really need to be able to talk to someone who understands, and I can't tell anyone about this but you! I'm genuinely getting nervous about-"

But Ladybug was having none of it today.

"No Chat! Listen to me for just once on this! There's a lot of reasons we can't tell each other and you know them! But every time I remind you, you just brush my concerns aside. I'm done explaining myself, Chat Noir!" Ladybug growled, her fists clenching and voice rising to almost a yell.

"B-but-"

"No buts! If you won't listen to any of the logical reasons, then how about this?! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW! AND I DON'T WANT YOU TOO KNOW! OKAY?!"

Chat Noir stepped back, taking an almost defensive posture, like he would in battle. His eyes wide and cat ears flattened back.

Realizing that if she continued, half of Paris would hear their fight, Ladybug took a breath and tried her best to calm down, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Look, you're my partner, Chat... And I know you want more, but please... For me, can you please just keep things... Professional?"

The look of betrayal seemed to linger on Chat's face after she finished speaking. It threatened to make her try to take it all back, but it was far too late. After a couple seconds of silence, the leather clad boy stood up stock straight and, as if through years of experience, suddenly took on an air of reserved, melancholic, and professional apathy. But in his glowing green eyes, she could still see the damage she'd caused.

"Chaton..."

"No, if that's what you want, Ladybug. I'll do my best to respect that." With that he turned away and started towards the edge of the roof they stood on. "We'll keep things completely professional." The feline hero took one last glance over his shoulder and met her eyes, "I'm done with trying for this one-sided friendship anyways." He said, at almost a whisper.

Before Ladybug could even try to muster a response, he was gone.

A terrible feeling lingered in her gut.

**————————————-**

**Author's Note:**

**Hi all! Thanks for reading. This is my first fic with multiple chapters. Hooray! It only took like 7 rewrites. **

**Anyways, I know I was gone for a while, but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and commented after I decided to publish all my other fics in one big batch. It was very encouraging!**


	2. TheFallout

It was two days before there was another akuma attack.

Nothing was particularly noteworthy about the fight, in all honestly it was pretty easy. It was just Mr. Pigeon for the what... 27th time now? This guy really needs a good therapist...

But Ladybug could tell that something was wrong the moment Chat Noir joined the fray. As she had been shielding a group of civilians from a hail of pigeons, Chat had landed unceremoniously near by and began to fight off the victim without a single word, greeting, bad pun, silly nickname, or really anything at all. He got straight to work, simply nodding as she called out tactical instructions.

They're fighting was competent, but their movements were out of sink. Several times they almost collided mid-air, or let attacks fly that came far too close to being friendly-fire. But slowly they fell into a sort of dysfunctional rhythm.

Ladybug began to think that she could get used to having a quiet Chat Noir. Sure, it was a little unnerving to watch him just fight without an ounce of his signature sense of humor, but it was also much easier to focus on the matter at hand. What didn't sit well with her was what happened once the akuma fell.

It had been their tradition since day one. After every fight, as long as they had time and were able, they would share a victory fist bump. But this time, as Ladybug held out her fist to her partner, preparing to compliment his level head and thank him for the timely save, Chat Noir just turned and vaulted away.

By the time Marinette fell back on to her bed that evening, there were videos of him leaving her hanging trending everywhere on the internet.

And the look of disappointment on her face.

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The next patrol night seemed to never arrive. Akuma after Akuma came, day after day, and were unceremoniously delt-with in near record time for the duo. Though their lack of chemistry and heroic banter had began to be noticed by the general public. Every paper, blog post, and tv segment all asking the same questions.

_'Paris' Dynamic Duo no more?'_

_'What caused the split?'_

_'Can they keep up protecting us like this?'_

_'Ladynoir shippers in mourning. What happened?'_

How many reporters had tried to flag down Ladybug as she worked to comfort the newly freed victims, just for her ignore them to leave without comment? Even Alya? She hadn't even considered going for a fist-bump since the second Akuma.

So as their weekly Friday patrol finally arrived, a sense of urgency weighed on the young heroine's mind. Tonight was less about protecting the city, and more of the one chance away from the public to work things out with her partner.

She made this mess, and she needed to clean it up.

But Ladybug swung onto the upper platform of the Eiffel Tower, from the moment the spotted heroine locked eyes with Chat Noir's, she knew there'd be no such luck.

"Good evening, Chat."

"Ladybug."

Chat Noir had been leaning against the railing, tapping a claw impatiently, but stood up at attention the moment she landed. He spoke more like he was reporting to a boss than a partner. "I've already swept the west side of the city. Hopefully you can handle the rest? I have a lot of homework tonight, so I'll be off if that's all."

The monotone voice and blank expression made her spine shiver. This was the first time he'd spoken to her since last week and she almost preferred him angry. "Look, Chat... I get it, you're mad. But this is getting ridiculous! The last few fights were sloppy and I've known you long enough to know this isn't how you are..."

Ladybug moved closer to him and tried to tuck a stay hair behind his ear, in a rare display of affection. A soft sigh escaped her lips. "You know I didn't really mean-"

Ladybug froze halfway though the motion as Chat raised a hand to cut her off, his stare as blank as ever, the spark missing from his eyes. "I heard loud and clear what you MEANT, Ladybug." Emotion finally began to color his voice, but it was dark, angry, and bitter. "You want nothing more between us than a professional partnership. And after everything you said, I couldn't agree more..."

Ladybug clasped her hands in front of her mouth as if the try and prevent her gasp from escaping. The sting of tears that began pricking at the corners of her eyes echoed her heart break as he finished. "Chaton... Come on... We're partners, we can talk about this."

As soon as she finished, the spotted hero was taken aback by the bitter scoff that left his lips. His glowing green eyes filling with anger once again.

"Talk?! Oh NOW you wanna talk?! Talking is all I wanted to do this whole time! I wanted to talk to you so badly!" Chat Noir yelled, letting all his pent up anger explode out at once.

If there hadn't been so many already this week, Ladybug would have expected an Akuma.

"You have NO IDEA what my life outside the mask is like! I barely have time to breath, and one of the biggest stresses I have in my life is something I can't even talk about to anyone! Between school, homework, being a superhero, and working for the family business, I'm being stretched so thin I feel like I'm going to snap! Did you ever stop to think WHY I wanted to open up to you all the time?! Why I wanted us to reveal ourselves so badly?! Its because I'm sick and tired of FACING THIS ALONE!!"

When Chat Noir's burst finally burnt itself out and he sighed heavily. Turning to face away completely from his frozen partner, he looked down at his hands and began to gently play with his ring. "But I guess I was already alone, wasn't I? Just the sidekick to the real hero, nothing more. My feelings were never a factor..."

Chat paused before shaking his head, as if to clear the last of the outburst, as he made up his mind and let go of his ring. He continued, his voice returning to its quiet, monotone state, "When I said I was done the other day, I meant it. I'll still be Chat Noir, I'll still be you're battle partner, but just for the sake of Paris and stopping Hawkmoth."

"YOU KNOW I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF YOU AS MY SIDEKICK!" Ladybug blurted out, indignantly. "We're partners, EQUALS! We've been in this together since the beginning!"

Chat Noir shook his head, "From the moment we found out that only YOU could cure the akumas, I don't really think we were equals, bug... Goodnight."

And he was gone.

Ladybug was left speechless, doing everything in her power to fight back the onset of tears. Had she really broken him so badly? Ignoring his feelings so thoroughly, that he'd given up on anything they had? The young heroine slumped to her knees and let them flow.

"Fine. Whatever you stupid cat..." She muttered under her breath. "Who needs you and your punning butt anyways."


	3. LessonsLearnedintheLoveSquare

Marinette didn't sleep that night. The whole situation with Chat Noir had left her feeling hollow. She closed herself off, hardly speaking a word to anyone or leaving her room all weekend. And as Monday rolled around, things didn't get much better.

Tikki had tried to get her to open up about it, get some kind of sense back into her charges head, but the girl just shut the tiny god out like everyone else who tried.

Like she did to Chat...

As lunch time rolled around, Marinette lied about going home to Alya, before going and sitting on a bench on the far end if the school grounds. She couldn't handle lying her way through a theory crafting session on why the two heroes of Paris were heard screaming at each other last week.

She needed to be alone anyways. That was basically what she'd told Chat she wanted after all..

Marinette's thoughts were interrupted from going any darker as she heard someone sit down beside her. Peering out of the corner of her eye, she froze as her eyes came to rest on none other than Adrien Agreste.

Her crush.

Sitting next to her.

While she's a total mess.

All the way out here.

WHY IS HE HERE?!

Adrien tentatively sat down on the other end of the bench, set his bag at his feet, and started to eat his sandwich without a word. The curious girl pretended not to notice him, but watched him carefully when she thought he wasn't looking. He was just sitting there, clearly not trying to pry like Alya would, or be overly comforting like Nino or her parents. Adrien just sat down and gave her his silent company.

Marinette had noticed her crush was also seeming a bit down the last week or so, barely speaking to anyone at all either. Simply showing up in his family's car, and doing his school work, before being picked up as soon as the bell rang. Whatever his father had him doing right now must have been draining her usually cheerful friend of everything he had.

But here he was, taking the one free moment he probably even had today and giving it to her. Sitting here in complete silence just to make sure she wasn't feeling completely alone. If it had been possible to fall more in love with this boy than she already had, then Marinette found it.

Though in the back of her mind she couldn't help but think of many lonely nights she'd spent like this with Chat.

With those memories in the forefront of her mind, Marinette felt a swelling of her Ladybug bravery. She moved her bag to the ground and scooted over closer to Adrien. Swallowing any lingering nerves, she leaned her head on his shoulder like she used to with Chat after a long day of saving the city.

She felt him stiffen up for a brief moment and expected him to pull away, but the young model instead slowly relaxed and rested his own head against the top of her's.

Suppressing the giddy feeling bubbling up at such an intimate moment between them, Marinette searched for the words on her tied tongue. "I-I um.. Its just..."

"Its just kinda been one of THOSE weeks, huh?" Adrien said, finishing the exact sentence she was trying to get out.

Marinette peered up at him with a nod, her gaze returned with a small smile that couldn't reach his eyes.

"Me too."

They sat like that for a while longer. Not really talking, just being there with each other. When the bell rang, they reluctantly separated and shifted off of bench, gathering their things.

Adrien gave her a short wave and started to walk away, but was stopped when Marinette suddenly grabbed his hand. When he turned back to face her, his petite friend flung her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Adrien."

Under a heavy blush, the boy gave the first genuine smile she'd seen in the last week and returned the hug. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Marinette pulled back and looked up at him with a mix of guilt and determination in her eyes. "It is... But I know I've been so wrapped up in my own problems lately that I've completely ignored the ones of people around me. I just feel so selfish... But you came out here on your break for me, and really helped me see what I've been missing..." A blush spread across her cheeks as she looked down at her shoes before peeking back up hopefully. "And I know you've had it hard too, so if you need anything... I'm here and I promise I'll listen."

Before the bluenette could even blink, Adrien had pulled her back into a tight embrace. "Just hearing that helps me a lot, honestly... Thank you, Mari."

It was the first time he'd called her that, she really hoped it wouldn't be the last.

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**Final part needs a little editing, but will be up soon. -M**


	4. NothingLeftUnsaid

When the next akuma struck, it had been about a a week since their fight. Ladybug hadn't seen nor heard anything of her partner at all. Often times he would go for late night runs across the Paris roof tops a few times a week, or see if she wanted to meet him somewhere and just watch the city lights. But there had been no sign of Chat Noir anywhere and now he wasn't even answering his staff. The spotted heroine had a terrible feeling that she was truly on her own this time.

So much for still being partners...

Ladybug frantically dodged in circles around a man calling himself 'The Boulder'. He was enlarged to the size of a three story building, talking exclusively in third person about being beaten by a 'little girl', and smashing everything in his path while making rock puns. She wasn't really sure what his deal was, just that it had to do with the fighting championship belt he now wore around one giant finger like a ring.

Unlike most akumas, this one actually knew how to fight even before being given his immense size. Many well practiced moves only missing due to the size difference between him and the heroine. Ladybug made sure to keep moving, or risk being smashed like a literal bug. All she had to do to stop him was get a little closer to that belt.

That was easier said than done without Chat Noir, though. He was a born melee fighter and always the perfect distraction. Ladybug on the other hand knew she was often at a disadvantage at close quarters, her yo-yo string making contact more than the weapon itself. And while she could handle a normal sized person in a straight up fight, this was getting a bit...

**_SMACK!!!_**

Thoughts of her partner were cut off completely as she misjudged the speed of her enemy's latest strike and was sent flying down the street at an incredible speed. The heroine finally came to a stop as her body caved in the side of a, luckily empty, crashed minivan.

Ladybug did her best to stand, but her body was wracked with pain. Head spinning, she barely made it more than a few steps from the van before collapsing to the ground in a groaning heap. Her yo-yo rolled up and came to a stop mere inches from her face.

As the thundering footsteps of a now monologuing Boulder started down the street, Ladybug's vision began to clear. Pushing through the pain, she reached out and grabbed her tool, calling Chat's staff. It rung for a few moments before sending her to a still pun filled voice mail he hadn't bothered to change.

She tried again.

Nothing.

The foot steps were getting closer.

Again.

Still nothing.

As the akuma reached the intersection two blocks ahead of her, he stopped to swat at group of courageous civilians that were risking themselves to buy Ladybug time to recover, she pressed call once more and this time let it go fully to message.

_'... Please leave a message and have a PAWsome day!' **Beeeeep!**_

"Chat Noir, please just listen! If you hear this, I really need your help! I know you're mad at me, you have every right to be. I was a horrible partner, but an even worse friend! I let all my own insecurities get in the way of being there and really listening to you're feelings. That was wrong of me. Recently, a friend of mine showed me how much of a difference just being there to listen can make, and I should have done so much more to be there for you... You are honestly one of my best friends... And however much you needed me that night, I KNOW that if it half as much as I need you right now, then I really REALLY messed up!"

Thundering footsteps echoed through the streets as the akuma got closer. Ladybug heard the screams of innocent bystanders and forced herself to stand. "I'm sorry, Chat Noir. I guess I can't wait any longer. If you get this..." Her voice trailed off as she took one last deep breath. "I love you, minou."

"I love you too, bugaboo."

The second Ladybug had closed her compact, Chat Noir leapt from the other side of the van and landed between the akuma and his partner. The fire in his eyes had returned, as well as his signature smirk.

"The Boulder? More like the pebble if you ask me!" The hero taunted before launching himself into the fray.

Ladybug felt like she was gonna cry. Chat was back! Her partner was back! He was here when she needed him most.

Like always.

————————-

When the fight finally ended, championship belt returned to its rightful owner, Chat Noir held out his fist and smiled brightly at the heroine beside him. "I think we just ROCKED his world, aye M'Lady?"

Throwing tradition to the wind once more, Ladybug pushed past his out stretched fist and instead nearly tackled her partner to the ground in a bone-crushing hug. "Mon Minou... I knew you wouldn't abandon me! I'm so sorry..."

As the spotted heroine broke down in his arms, Chat Noir realized that the middle of the street was probably not an appropriate venue for the talk to follow. Scoping his lady up, bridal style, and winking at the fan-girling 'ladyblogger' filming the whole thing, the feline hero launched them up to the Paris rooftops and found a quiet place to rest.

The girl clung to his chest tightly as Chat Noir landed and sat himself down, keeping his exhausted partner cradled in his lap. They sat like that for a several minutes before Ladybug managed to find her words. "How much of my message did you hear..?" She twiddled her fingers together nervously, embarrassed that he might have heard such a personal outpour in person at all.

Chat looked down and smiled at her. Not one of his usual smirks or cheshire grins, but a genuine, loving smile that sent familiar shivers up her spine.

"Almost all of it actually... I only got the people out of that van moments before you crashed into it." Chat scratched the back of his neck and sighed, his expression turning serious. "I'm sorry I wasn't their sooner... I was mad and broken-hearted, but you're more than free to want to keep your identity a secret, I pushed way too far. I was being selfish because I was hurting, but that wasn't an excuse to treat you that way. And it was NEVER an excuse to leave you in a fight like that alone. I could have lost you right then... I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if-"

Chat Noir's brain ceased to function in that moment, as Ladybug's lips crashed into his own, her fingers curled around the bell on his neck. When she pulled back, there was fire in those bright blue eyes.

"Don't you DARE apologize to me right now, you dumb cat! This was all my fault! I never listened to you! I never took into account how the kind of stress I've felt on a daily basis could possibly be affecting you more than me. Or if I was doing enough as tour partner to help. If either of us was being too selfish, then it was me! I was just so wrapped in my head about my own insecurities that I wouldn't even let myself fully trust my bestfriend with my name..."

The girl looked down at her lap, "I'm sorry, Chat... I hurt you so much, so I know you probably can't just forgive me that easily."

Chat Noir pulled her into his own embrace as tears began rolling down his cheeks. His forehead coming to rest against her's. "Of course I forgive you, bugaboo... You're my bestfriend too, after all."

Their embrace only ended at the rapid beeping of Ladybug's earrings. Chat Noir stood up quickly, helped his partner to her feet. "I guess this is where we part, M'Lady. See you for patrol tomorrow?"

"Chat, wait." Ladybug nearly yelled. Her eyes pleading for him to stay as she grabbed his hand. Her earrings beeped again, almost questioning if she new what she was really doing.

"Ladybug, if you don't go, then I'll find out who you are." Chat said, frantically looking for an easy place to move where he couldn't see her, but the roof he'd chosen was unfortunately barren.

"I don't care, Chat... I want you to know."

Their eyes met for a moment before a bright flash of pink caused the feline hero to shield his own with his free hand.

"Earlier this week, my friend Adrien helped me realize that being there for the people you love is one of the most important things you can do... And I want to be here for you, kitty. As Ladybug and me..."

Chat Noir felt frozen in place, but she gave him the time he needed. The name Adrien had already tipped him off, but he knew he had to see to be sure it was really her.

He could never be that lucky.

Slowly the hero opened his eyes and saw Marinette standing before him, an adorable nervous expression in her eyes. He spotted her kwammi wave at him briefly before diving into her purse to let them talk it out.

As the tension of the moment peaked between them, Chat let out a hearty laugh and grinned with delight at the confusion on her face. "Well purrrrincess, I'm glad to know you really are keeping your promise to me."

And before she could respond, Adrien dropped his own transformation.

Marinette gasped, "A-AdRIEN?! You're my Chat Noir?!" Her hands went to cover her mouth as tears flowed anew.

Adrien rushed forward, scooping her up and spinning his petite partner in circles before pulling her tightly against him. "I have and always will be your Chat Noir." He wore his famous cheshire grin, as if to prevent any doubt, but it quickly melted away into a loving smile. "And I'm so so happy that My Lady is someone as wonderful as you beneath the mask."

It was one of those weeks, like Adrien said, but they only grew stronger because of it. And promised to always be there for each other no matter what the future brings.

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**Bonus points if you get the akuma reference and remeber the episode of Drake and Josh I stole the plot from! Haha. **

**Thanks to everyone who are apparnetly already reading this. I left for work and came back to so many email notifications! It was crazy. Hope you liked it and hopefully I'll post again soon now that I've finished this monster. - M**


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